Reducer and method of use thereof

Abstract

The reducer contains a lubricant inside, which is at least partly flowable during the operation, the inside of the reducer being tightly sealed from the outside. The reducer includes a communicating part that communicates the inside and the outside of the reducer. The communicating part is blocked with a blocking member that has oil repellency, air permeability, and non-permeability to oil.

1. A reducer comprising:
 a casing enabling a tight seal between an inside and an outside of the reducer; 
 a lubricant contained in the casing, the lubricant being at least partly flowable during operation of the reducer; 
 a communicating part formed in the casing or in a component integrally formed with the casing, for communicating the inside and the outside of the reducer; and 
 a blocking member arranged in the communicating part for blocking the communicating part, wherein the blocking member comprises a sheet member having oil repellency, air permeability, and non-permeability to oil, wherein: 
 the communicating part comprises an engaging member having a hollow part and set in a through hole provided in the casing of the reducer; 
 the engaging member protrudes further inwards from an inner-side end face of the through hole to have a protruded portion; and 
 the blocking member is arranged at the protruded portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The reducer according to  claim 1 , wherein the communicating part and the blocking member are provided at least, respectively, at both sides of a plane, wherein the plane includes both axial centers of an output shaft and an input shaft of the reducer, where the input shaft is coaxial with the output shaft. 
     
     
       3. A method of producing a reducer, comprising:
 configuring a casing enabling a tight seal between an inside and an outside of the reducer; 
 containing a lubricant in the casing, the lubricant being at least partly flowable during operation of the reducer; 
 forming a communicating part in the casing or in a component integrally formed with the casing, to communicate the inside and the outside of the reducer; and 
 configuring a blocking member in the communicating part to block the communicating part, wherein the blocking member comprises a sheet member having oil repellency, air permeability, and non-permeability to oil, 
 wherein an orientation of the reducer is changed constantly during operation so that the lubricant continually touches and moves away from the blocking member repeatedly, 
 wherein the communicating part comprises an engaging member having a hollow part and set in a through hole provided in the casing, 
 the engaging member protrudes further inwards from an inner-side end face of the through hole to have a protruded portion, and 
 the blocking member is arranged at the protruded portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 using the reducer to drive a joint of an industrial robot. 
 
     
     
       5. The reducer according to  claim 1 , wherein the communicating part and the blocking member are provided at least, respectively, at both sides of a plane, wherein the plane includes the axial center of one of the output shaft and the input shaft and is parallel to the axial center of the other one of the output shaft and input shaft. 
     
     
       6. The reducer according to  claim 1 , wherein the communicating part and the blocking member are provided at least, respectively, at both sides of a plane, wherein the plane is parallel to both axial centers of the output shaft and the input shaft. 
     
     
       7. The reducer according to  claim 1 , wherein an orientation of the reducer is changed constantly during operation so that the lubricant continually touches and moves away from the blocking member repeatedly. 
     
     
       8. The reducer according to  claim 1 , wherein the reducer is used for driving a joint of an industrial robot. 
     
     
       9. The reducer according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the communicating part comprises an engaging member having a hollow part and set in a through hole provided in the casing of the reducer; and 
 the blocking member is arranged so as to block the hollow part.